During
W.W.I, rod grenade design fluctuated between the simple and complicated,
always a struggle between ease of use, safety, effectiveness and cost of
manufacture. No one design ever achieved the ultimate configuration. Of
course the underlining "Achilles Heel" was no matter what, they still trashed
the rifles used to fire them.

One of the more technically advanced designs (In my humble opinion)
is this grenade. It rivaled many artillery rounds in its fuze design and
certainly didn't lend itself to economical mass production. Still, on its
own merits, this grenade exhibits a combination of features that field
experience proved useful:

The unique “Ranging Disc” is used in one of three modes. Removed for
maximum range, curved face forward for ½ range or as shown for ¼
range. The rifle was always placed at one angle for firing (typically 45
degrees), a useful feature in the confined space of the trenches.

The fuze utilizes an interesting safety feature. It consists of a releasing
socket holding a locking ball in place which retains a striker with a folded
firing pin (needle). Upon firing the socket is pushed down, overcoming
a pair of bent flat retaining springs, releasing the ball which allows
the nose/striker assembly to spring up (big spring), freeing the striker
to push down (small spring) against the needle unfolding and locking it.
It is now armed and functions as a simple impact fuze.

While all very clever, rod grenades were still very hard on the rifles
that fired them and were complex to make (incorporating the features desirable).
By 1917 the rod concept was abandoned in favor of the cup launcher.

During WWII, however, this was re-visited in a small way by specialized
grenades made for flare pistols (Wurfkörper) and even a very
large anti-tank grenade (3.7cm Aufsteck Geschoss) developed for
the 37mm Anti-Tank Gun.

(Return to the Rod Grenade Overview Page for more info
on that currious footnote in history.)